1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for converting photographs into portraits. In particular, the present invention relates to a system for converting a photograph of a person into an image having characteristics of a Norman Rockwell painting.
2. Description of the Related Art
Devices for transforming picture images into portrait images are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,219,459, which is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference, discloses an “Image Transform Device for Transforming a Picture Image to a Painting-Type Image.” The disclosed device is capable of converting an input image to a linear drawing style in real time. An edge signal of the image is detected and may then be normalized. The normalized edge signal is transformed in a non-linear fashion to decrease the intermediate tone level of the edges. Inversion control may then be utilized to allow the lines to be seen more clearly. Inversion control may also be utilized to reverse the lightness and darkness of the edge signal. The inverted signal may be adjusted and then be mixed with a version of the input signal using an externally controlled radio signal. The resulting output is a drawing or painting-type image. Furthermore, the resulting edges of the image have a high-light and shaded contrast.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,229,904, which is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference, discloses an “Automatic Morphing Photography Booth.” The disclosed invention relates to a computerized automatic morphing photography booth. The booth generates a synthesized composite or altered image based upon two or more initial images. The initial images to be converted may either be images captured by the booth or stored images programmed into the memory of the computer. The computer may map out the essential characteristics of the images and convert the images into a composite image by blending, merging and/or superimposing at least some portion of the characteristics of the mapped images. The booth further includes cameras capable of centering the composite image in a picture frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,381,361, which is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference, discloses a “Method for Transforming a Gamut of a Color Image to Produce an Artistic Effect.” The method includes the predetermined mapping of an input gamut to a desired output gamut, in order to produce a desired artistic effect. The method further includes utilizing mapping of the input gamut to map the input image to an output image having a predetermined output gamut. The method may further include a post processing step of utilizing a brush stroke filter to enhance the effect. The output gamut may be formed by mapping a predetermined number of input gamut values that correspond to output color gamut values and interpolating the remaining input gamut values to output color gamut values. The remaining input gamut values may be interpolated to determine the output color gamut values.